Education Commons^™

Academic Freedom Under Attack: How Faculty And Students Can Protect Their Rights Situated In The Scholarly And Public Spheres, Emma Hansen

Honors Senior Capstones and Theses

This thesis project challenged me to apply my learning to the larger community and accomplish something that would make a lasting impact at Roger Williams University. When I was attempting to come up with my topic, I tussled with how my project could accomplish my main goal, to help people. With the current threats to academic freedom and institutional autonomy from the Trump Administration, I recognized that the faculty were expressing concern about the permanence of their jobs. The general feeling on campus and in the news was fear. So, I thought to myself, “How do I put these fears …

Build Your Capacity For Aging Research: A Research Readiness Curriculum, Carrie Leach, Mikayla Harrison, Zachary Rowe, Dell Stubblefield, Deborah Beard, Winona Bynum, Sandra Turner-Handy, Faith Hopp, Rodlescia Sneed, Deborah Charbonneau, Rochelle Chapman, Hayley S. Thompson

Institute of Gerontology

This curriculum was developed with and for older adults in order to provide a basic understanding of the academic research process and to familiarize them with research terms and concepts to increase thier overall level of confidence engaging with researchers.

Age-Friendly Technology Toolkit, Carrie Leach, Mikayla Harrison, Deborah Beard, Dell Stubblefield, Zachary Rowe, Winona Bynum, Sandra Turner-Handy, Faith Hopp, Rodlescia Sneed, Deborah Charbonneau, Rochelle Chapman, Hayley S. Thompson

Institute of Gerontology

A toolkit created for older people who are interested in connecting through technology. Content is based on recommendations from older adults who partnered on a project to increase digital inclusion.

Rabble: A Companion To Pwa-Tem (2025)

Rabble, 2014-

Rabble is a companion chapbook publication to the magazine Pwatem. From the preface of most issues: "'Tell the rabble my name is Cabell."- James Branch Cabell to his editor, to help people learn how to pronounce his name. Cabell used the word derogatively but we are taking it back. These pages will showcase the writing and illustrations of our rabble-the ordinary students of VCU."

Emanata Presents: Obsession (2025)

Emanata, 2014-

Started by illustrator and comics artist Chris Kindred in 2014 with Weird, Vol. 1, Emanata is VCU’s first-ever comics anthology.

A Number Talk Informed By The Socio-Ecological, Elizabeth Suazo-Flores, Darian Sherva, Christine Mcgrail, Amber Adgerson

Teaching, Leadership & Professional Practice Faculty Publications

Fourth graders used a variety of strategies to identify the total number of objects buried in the soil.

The Relationships Between Learner Socio-Demographic Factors, Self-Efficacy, Culture, And Student Engagement In The Online Learning Environment, Nikki L. Lagrone

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The continuing need to understand and evaluate student engagement, specifically in the online learning environment, is critical for researchers and instructional designers. To design online learning for optimal learning outcomes, researchers must account for the individual cultural and cognitive characteristics of the learner. By examining cultural attributes of the learner, instructional designers will be able to design online instruction as a more inclusive learning environment. This quantitative, explanatory correlational research study aimed to investigate the relationship between learner cultural attributes and online student engagement. Additionally, how learner socio-demographic factors and online learning self-efficacy are related to online student engagement were …

Encouraging Selection Of Effective Learning Strategies, Kaya Easley

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

College students have difficulty selecting effective learning strategies, often due to their perceptions of cost and value of these strategies. The goal of the present study was to examine ways to increase students’ perceptions of value to outweigh their perceptions of cost to help them select an effective learning strategy (generation). Students were randomly assigned to one of five conditions in an additive design: no treatment control, experience comparing generation to a less effective learning strategy, experience plus information about its application to one’s life, experience and application plus evidence of the effectiveness of generation, or experience, application, and evidence, …

Experiencing The Shift: How Experiential Blended Learning Professional Development Enhances Teacher Self-Efficacy, Shannon N. Tabaldo, Ashley L. Ireland

Journal of Catholic Education

This qualitative study examines how participation in a multi-year, experiential professional development program—the Academy of Blended Learning (ABL)—shaped teachers’ perceived self-efficacy in implementing blended learning. Grounded in Bandura’s self-efficacy theory, Bruner’s constructivism, and Knowles’ adult learning principles, the study drew on semi-structured interviews and instructional artifacts from eight teachers in Catholic schools serving historically marginalized communities in California. Findings suggest that ABL participation was associated with increased instructional confidence, a stronger sense of professional purpose, and greater enthusiasm for student-centered, technology-enhanced learning. Teachers attributed these shifts to ABL’s design, which emphasized active participation, collaborative inquiry, differentiated instruction, and development of …

Minding The Gap: How Do New Lcap Requirements Address Equity For English Learners?, Magaly Lavadenz, Ph.D., Raquel Gonzalez, Ph.D., Elvira G. Armas, Ed.D., Gisela O'Brien, Ph.D., Hannah Catron, M.A., Jeimee Estrada-Miller, Ph.D., M.P.P.

Reports

California’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), signed into law in 2013, centers equity as a key to increased and improved services for three targeted student subgroups, including English Learners (ELs), low-income students, and foster youth. As a component of LCFF, districts develop Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs) to specify their goals and strategies for using LCFF funds for equity and continuous improvement purposes. In this report, Lavadenz and colleagues use a sample of 26 California public school districts with high numbers/percentages of ELs, finding that although some progress has been made, public schools continue to miss the mark in …

Ultrasonic Sensor-Based Sound Synthesis Using Raspberry Pi Pico W, Niraj Jaishwal

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

At the intersection of Human Computer Interaction and digital art, this project transforms simple motion into musical expression. It explores an interactive real-time sound synthesis system using ultrasonic sensors to generate continuous audio. The objective is to design a system that maps physical distances into musical parameters such as pitch and amplitude, which will create a responsive audio environment. Two ultrasonic sensors are used in combination with the Raspberry Pi Pico W microcontroller running CircuitPython and Adafruit Audio Hat for real-time sound output. One sensor controls the pitch of the generated tone, while the other controls volume. This enables expressive …

Montessori And Self-Regulation, Abbey Ray

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This paper explores how the Montessori approach supports young children’s self-regulation and sense of agency. Reviewing ten peer-reviewed studies, it compares Montessori classrooms with traditional early childhood programs and finds consistent evidence that Montessori practices, such as child-led activities, structured autonomy, self-correcting materials, and supportive teacher guidance, significantly improve children’s attention, impulse control, emotional regulation, and independent decision-making. The review also notes the influence of teacher beliefs and carefully prepared environments on these outcomes. While the research strongly supports Montessori’s positive impact, gaps remain in studies involving diverse populations and long-term effects. Overall, Montessori education emerges as an effective model …

Professional Development Workshop: Strategy To Increase Registered Nurse (Rn) Retention, Diane Hegedus Msn, Rn, Phrn, Cen, Npd-Bc

Department of Education

(c) Lehigh Valley Health Network

All items are copyright to Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Implementation Of A Nurse Preceptor Online Toolkit, Kortney Welles Msn, Rn, Cmsrn

Department of Education

No abstract provided.

Personalized Physics Learning Through Ai: Insights From Problem Generation, Chatbot Dialogues, And Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Atharva Dange

Physics Dissertations - Archive

Artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to transform science education, yet questions remain on how best to integrate these technologies into teaching and learning. This dissertation investigates the use of AI-driven tools in university physics courses through three complementary studies. In the first study, a generative language model (ChatGPT) was used to create novel physics homework problems aligned with course objectives. Analysis showed that, after expert vetting, AI-generated questions can foster higher-order problem-solving and reduce student reliance on solution memorization, though careful instructor oversight is required to ensure accuracy. The second study embedded an AI chatbot as a learning aid in …

Transforming Numbers And Narratives Into Impact At The Richmond Ed Fund, Jasmine C. Brown, Rochelle Clarke, Truc-Mai Nguyen

Doctor of Education Capstones

The Richmond Ed Fund (REF) has been a nonprofit partner to Richmond Public Schools (RPS) for over two decades. During this time, they provided valuable support through enrichment programs, scholarships, and teacher development to the RPS community. In 2019, the organization shifted its focus from direct program operation to major gifts fundraising to align with the RPS strategic plan’s five priorities. To better reflect its renewed mission and enhance its visibility within the community, in 2024 REF underwent a major rebranding focused on expanding impact, increasing collaboration, and fostering innovation. The Executive Director of REF submitted a Request for Partnership …

Navigating Preservation And Memorialization In Contested Spaces: A Case Study Of The Richmond Community Hospital And The Legacy Of Sarah Garland Boyd Jones, Rebecca M. Skatoff

Master of Urban and Regional Planning Capstone Projects

This plan develops a strategic framework to address the complexity of navigating preservation and memorialization in contested spaces, using the Richmond Community Hospital as a case study. Rooted in the legacy of Sarah Garland Boyd Jones, the first African American woman certified to practice medicine in Virginia, this plan examines the intersection of racial equity, cultural heritage, and land-use planning. The Richmond Community Hospital case study raises broader questions about how African American cultural heritage sites are preserved to confront erasure, ensure an accurate historical record, and promote historical literacy for current and future generations. Conducted with reflective practice, this …

Exploring The Stem Career Identity Development Of Black Women Across Their Lifespan, Veronica Hurd

Theses and Dissertations

Although STEM is the fastest-growing career sector, Black women are grossly underrepresented as they account for 2.5% of the workforce. Research highlights that this underrepresentation is due to racialized structures in K-12, postsecondary, and career settings that restrict Black girls’ and women’s STEM opportunities. While macrosystems such as hegemonic ideologies, attitudes, and social conditions shape Black girls’ and women’s opportunities in STEM, they continue to persist and achieve their career goals. To explore these barriers and Black women’s persistence in this industry, this study draws from the autobiographical memories of 10 Black women in the field or formerly in the …

Exploring Team Interactions, Michelle Anne Trimbur

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

This exploratory qualitative case study examined conversational turning points and their role in transforming interaction within a self-managed team (SMT). While considerable scholarship has explored SMTs in organizational settings, research has yet to explore one of the longest-standing SMTs, the United States Supreme Court. Guided by a constructivist paradigm and grounded in discursive and ethnomethodological traditions, this study conversational turning points, defined as juxtapositions of remembered pasts and imagined futures, in the oral arguments of Mallory v. Norfolk Southern Railway Co. (2023). Data sources included the official transcript and audio of the oral arguments, supported by briefs and opinions from …

Does Money Matter? An Analysis Between Per-Student Funding And Its Link To Student Achievement In Florida, Chloe Zwetschkenbaum

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study examined the relationship between per-student funding and student achievement within four counties in the state of Florida (Clay County, Duval County, Flagler County, and St. Johns County) and whether higher per-student funding resulted in higher student achievement. Florida recently changed from the usage of the Common Core Standards to the Florida Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) and from the Florida State Assessment (FSA) to the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (F.A.S.T.) test in 2022 (Sabina, Hartikka, and Viola, 2023). This research focused funding on the results of the F.A.S.T. test and the per-student funding of each district …

Heritage And Archaeological Knowledge Dissemination Strategies: A Kurd Qaburstan Case Study, Myli R. Sangria

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This thesis addresses the long-standing absence of community archaeology initiatives in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq by designing and implementing a pilot public archaeology program at the site of Kurd Qaburstan, a large Middle Bronze Age city (ca. 1800 BCE) located on the Erbil Plain. In summer 2024, the author implemented a community archaeology activity designed as a first step toward sustained engagement with the village that partially overlaps the site. The program—a hands-on lesson in archaeological stratigraphy for K–5 students, followed by a guided site visit—was intentionally simple, affordable, and easy to carry out alongside ongoing fieldwork. The activity …

2025-2026 Nursing Undergraduate Student Handbook, Morehead State University. Nursing Department.

Nursing Department Publications Archive

2025-2026 Undergraduate Student Handbook of the Department of Nursing at Morehead State University.

An Exploration Of Preservice Teachers' Perspectives On Elementary Writing Instruction, Railynn E. Baumgardt

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Writing instruction is frequently overshadowed by a greater emphasis on reading and mathematics in elementary education, resulting in preservice teachers (PSTs) often feeling underprepared and lacking confidence to teach writing effectively. This undergraduate thesis explores the perspectives of junior and senior elementary education majors at the University of Central Florida enrolled in the course Teaching Language Arts for the Elementary Classroom (LAE 4314). Using an anonymous online survey, this study investigated 38 PSTs as writers themselves, their beliefs about writing instruction, their preparedness to teach writing, and the impact of the methods course on their readiness to teach writing. Results …

Cultural Competence In Pre-Medical Education: Examining Preparedness For Cross-Cultural Care, Fiza N. Khan

Honors Undergraduate Theses

As the U.S. population continues to grow more diverse, there is an urgent need for future healthcare providers to develop strong cultural competence. This study investigates undergraduate pre-medical students’ knowledge, attitudes, and comfort levels toward caring for diverse patient populations, including immigrants, refugees, and individuals from varied cultural backgrounds. The goal was to assess how well students are prepared to provide culturally responsive care before entering medical school. Recognizing that the foundation for medical training begins at the undergraduate level, this study aims to identify specific gaps in readiness that may hinder equitable patient care in the future.

A modified …

Exploring Childcare Leaders’ Perspectives On Program Philosophies At The Intersection Of Care, Education, And Business: A Multi-Method (Qual + Qual) Study Using Simon Sinek’S Golden Circle, Megan Kybartas

Theses and Dissertations

This multi-method (QUAL + qual) study explores childcare leaders’ perspectives on program philosophies at the intersection of care, education, and business, which I call The Childcare Tripartite. Recognizing the significant dependency on high-quality childcare services and the foundational role of program philosophies in achieving this quality, this research addresses a notable gap in the literature regarding how early childhood leaders communicate and prioritize their program philosophies within the complex American childcare landscape. Employing semi-structured interviews, documentary materials, and demographic forms, and analyzed through both thematic and deductive content analysis, drawing on Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle, the study uncovers how philosophical …

The Invisible Tapestry Of Whiteness: A Phenomenological Study Of Campus Artifacts At A Historically White University, Shaun N. Crisler

Theses and Dissertations

BIPOC students at historically white colleges and universities (HwCU) often experience rejection, isolation, and marginalization in campus environments that remain unwelcoming and racially hostile. While research highlights the negative impact of these climates on student success, few studies interrogate whiteness as a structural force, shaping institutional culture and sustaining racial inequities. This study examines how whiteness is embedded in campus artifacts—including history, demography, curriculum, learning environment, climate, symbols, traditions, and spaces—and how it impacts BIPOC students' experiences.

Using a phenomenological approach, this study engaged 15 BIPOC students at Partly Cloudy University through surveys and interviews. Data were analyzed using critical …

Theoretical Frameworks Used To Conceptualize The Intersection Of Deafness, Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities, And Language In The Literature: A Scoping Review, Jeremy M. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence rate for emotional/behavioral disabilities (EBD) among d/Deaf and hard of hearing (d/DHH) students has consistently been reported as statistically elevated in the literature, but the exact reason for this high prevalence has not been determined. Factors such as diagnostic shadowing, language proficiency, and difficulties in interfamilial communication have been identified; however, recent research suggests that language deprivation may also be a contributing factor. The intersection of language deprivation and EBD among d/DHH students has been studied by numerous researchers, but, to date, no one has explored how these topics are conceptualized together in the literature. As such, I …

A Word Is Worth A Thousand Words: Sustained Alphabetic Narratives And The Academic Success Of English Language Learners At The Secondary Level, Ricardo D. King Jr

Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, English Language Learner (EL) education, more commonly referred to as English as a Second Language (ESL) or Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), has advocated for a multimodal approach to classroom instruction. At the same time, higher level English Language Arts (ELA) classes continue to use sustained alphabetic narratives without explicit references to multimodal practices (i.g., graphic novels, graphic narratives, comics, picture books, etc.). This disconnect in teacher advocacy and in educational practice has positioned EL students outside of the opportunities offered by higher level ELA coursework and the sustained alphabetic narratives that are taught …

Investigating Meaningful Reflection Through Teacher Research, Brandon Hillary

Theses and Dissertations

This practitioner research study explores strategies for inviting high school students into meaningful sustained reflection during a semester-long civic inquiry project in the ELA classroom. The study examines how engaging students in a structured, inquiry-based reflection process can foster deeper, more meaningful reflection outcomes. Specifically, the study explores a process for facilitating student engagement in critical reflection, considers how students respond to process-oriented reflection prompts, and analyzes their reflective engagement across both written and verbal mediums.

Through a qualitative research design incorporating student reflections, classroom observations, and teacher-researcher analysis, the study identifies key patterns in how students navigate and articulate …

Boys Build, Girls Glam: An Examination Of Adult Language Use In Informal Steam Education Settings, Alexandra Horton

Theses and Dissertations

Research on STEAM education has primarily focused on formal education settings such as schools, with more research needed in informal or non-traditional education settings. As children frequently engage with informal and non-traditional education settings, it is important to understand how we can transmit information in these settings to bolster and further the learning process and increase engagement. STEAM fields have been plagued by racial and gender inequities that have led to these groups being marginalized and excluded (Blair et al., 2017; Eaton et al., 2020; Martin, 2018; Martin & Phillips, 2019; Miller et al., 2018; Newall et al., 2018, Sheffield …